So many people came to visit this couple on their Montana ranch that they extended the living space out to a bunkhouse. While the homeowners are not into theme-y things, they did instruct the designers at Carter Kay Interiors to have a lot of fun with it, as their grandchildren would be staying here. In the casual house, comfort and durable features that can stand up to little ones are priorities. And the designers knew they could let their senses of humor fly here and there in subversive ways — all the nods to typical Western style are whimsical and tongue-in-cheek.

Houzz at a Glance

Who lives here: This the guesthouse of a couple with adult children and grandchildren.

Location: Ennis, Montana (Madison River Valley)

Size: 1,600 square feet (149 square meters); 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms

The bunkhouse serves as a guesthouse for the many guests who enjoy the couple’s hospitality and was built with their adult children and grandchildren in mind. The photo shoot occurred on the luckiest day possible, with a double rainbow overhead.

It all began with a piece of art. The homeowners handed interior designer Carter Kay and her team this painting of a fly fisherman, saying “OK, this is what we want.” Fishing is a favorite activity of those who visit the ranch, and the Madison River Valley has some of the best fly fishing in the world.

“We got all of our khakis and greens and blues from this painting,” Kay says. It now hangs in one of the bedrooms over a console table with iron legs, vintage gears and a beautiful reclaimed-wood top customized by a local craftsman. “We didn’t want to ‘brown them out’ by using too much brown and khaki,” Kay says. The blue on the gear in the center was a happy coincidence.

A comfortable and casual living room, breakfast nook and small kitchen provide gathering space. When the designers found these wooden horses at a flea market, they knew they would set the playful tone in the bunkhouse. Other pieces that nod to Western style are the vintage hide chairs, the hefty wood coffee table and the durable denim fabric on the sectional.

Behind the sofa a rough-hewn desk coordinates with the architecture’s large beams and serves a second purpose as a sofa table. “The miniature antique chairs and table are meant to be played with,” Kay says. The shaggy white pouf is another playful touch; it can serve as a desk seat or be pulled around as an extra seat in the living room.

Near the property, the landscape is dotted with dilapidated one-room shacks that were, well, let’s say, where lonely miners sought the company of ladies back in the day. “The flea market birdhouses reminded us of the little houses we’d see on the winding roads around here, so we turned them into wall art,” Kay says with a chuckle.

“This kitchen is really more of a breakfast kitchen rather than a full kitchen. The owners want everyone to have meals together at the main house,” Kay says. They outfitted it for heating things up in the microwave or grabbing morning toast and coffee.

Reclaimed-wood shelves and countertops add warmth, while a rug brings in warm color. The hardware was hand forged by a local artisan.

Many decisions were made on the fly during installation. For example, they decided to make the lower open shelf shorter when they realized they needed a place to hang the crusty flea market fish they’d fallen in love with.

The home has two master bedrooms, one on each side of the living room, kitchen and breakfast area. A third bedroom with twin beds connects to this master. The walls are technically tongue and groove, but the lack of a V-groove gives them the more spartan look of butt boards. A cheetah rug adds an unexpected touch.

Adding color in here are photographs from Atlanta artist Corrine Adams’ “Birds on a Wire” series. The artist customized the hues to inject bright color into the bedroom.

Watch this discussion.Stop watching this discussion.

(0) comments

Welcome to the discussion.

Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language.PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated.Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything.Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person.Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts.Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article.